On March 10, 2019, Tibetans and supporters staging a protest in front of the Chinese consulate as they commemorate the 1959 national uprising day against China's military occupation of Tibet. Photo: TPI/Yeshe Choesang

President of the Central Tibetan Administration, Dr Lobsang Sangay addressing the public on the 60th Anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising Day, in Dharamshala, India, on March 10, 2019. Photo: CTA

Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama, Former Botswana President addressing the official commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of Tibetan National Uprising Day in Dharamshala, 10 March 2019. Photo: CTA/Tenzin Jigme

Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam who started the DIFF speaking at Upper TCV School in Dharamshala, India. The festival ended with the closing night screening of Aijaz Khan's 'Hamid' at the Hermann Gmeiner Auditorium. photo: TPI

President Dr Lobsang Sangay with the Thank You India Souvenir – A Dharmachakra representing the wheel of Universal Truth, at the press conference at Press Club of India on January 18, 2018. Photo: CTA/DIIR/Tenzin Phende

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Dr Lobsang Sangay President of the Central Tibetan Administration making the official announcement of the long-life prayer offering, during a press conference at Kashag Secretariat, Dharamshala, India, March 18, 2019. Photo/Tenzin Jigme/CTA

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Dharamshala — Chinese authorities have demolished more than 240 Tibetan homes and shops in Karla village in Serchen County, Amdo, north-eastern Tibet, leaves over 960 Tibetans homeless, near the Blue Lake, known as Kokonor Lake or "Tso Ngon Po."

'Chinese authorities equipped with bulldozers have demolished more than 240 Tibetan homes and shops, which has left over 960 Tibetans homeless in Kala village in Serchen county, Amdo Tsolho, north-eastern Tibet (Ch: Gonghe, Qabqa, Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province),' Dolma Tso, a Tibetan woman living in exile in India told the Tibet Post International.

"Local Tibetans who resisted the authorities' call were severely beaten and detained by Chinese police," sources said, adding "the ongoing demolition by Chinese authorities leaves with no choice except taking temporal shelter in tents following the incident."

The destruction in Kala village (Gonpodhong) took place on October 22, after the leveling a few days earlier of homes and shops elsewhere in Trelnak township in Serchen County of Amdo Tsolho. These local Tibetans now are left without any source of income," source told the TPI, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"A group of Chinese authorities arrived with bulldozers on October 22 and began to tear down over 240 Tibetan houses and shops, at around 4.30pm local time," Dolma Tso said, adding, "authorities say the houses and shops are illegal and cause environmental damage."

"The authorities also accused them of 'polluting' the area around the lake, and the surrounding area. Therefore the authorities gave these reasons to tear down the shops and homes built by local Tibetans," she further said, citing contacts in the region.

"After the destruction, the authorities have warned the Tibetan residents not to take photos of the wreckage and not to go near their destroyed property, the source added, saying "the Tibetan victims were not given an opportunity to express their grievances."

The destruction in Kala village followed by just few days a similar operation in Trelnak, in which "Chinese officials and police arrived and tore down 30 structures built by the Tibetan nomads as dwellings and place of business around the holy Kokonor Lake (Tib: Tso Ngon Po).

"The lakeside shops had been financed by personal loans. They were built with iron sheets and were designed to cater for visiting tourists and pilgrims," the source said.

Several Tibetan nomads were detained and severely beaten before being released. Some of them were, reportedly threatened at gunpoint by Chinese police before they were taken into custody.

Following the destruction of their homes, they returned to their area to attempt to collect their belongings. But Chinese authorities refused them access, beat them severely and held them in custody for hours without charge.

Thousands of Tibetan nomads have been forcibly housed into concrete ghettoes under a controversial resettlement scheme enacted by the Chinese government in recent years and as a result many say their customs, social institutions, beliefs and spiritual traditions, farming systems, livelihoods: in fact, their entire cycle of culture is now under serious threat.

On the other hand, most Tibetan nomads, lacking the technical skills and no formal education, which makes it almost impossible for them to compete with highly- skilled, Chinese immigrants.

Instead of addressing the failure, the Chinese government continued its policies of political repression, cultural assimilation, social discrimination, economic marginalization and environmental destruction in Tibet.

Chinese government's colonial and hard-line policies in Tibet, is moving blindly from failure to failure, coupled with a lack of a holistic view, which led to the Tibetans' mistrust of the regime— frequently complain of political, economic, and religious discrimination.